SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY

Alden Ehrenreich    Joonas Suotamo    Woody Harrelson    Emilia Clarke    Donald Glover

Thandie Newton     Paul Bettany     Jon Favreau     Linda Hunt

     The origin story of Han Solo of Star Wars fame zips along at a fast pace, with special effects galore, which becomes tiresome even though they are very striking.  But they dominate the picture so much they look like an advertisement for the companies producing them (i.e., Lucas Films, Walt Disney Pictures, and eight special effects makers).  At the same time, the screen is so dark—especially during dramatic scenes when special effects are minimal—it’s difficult to follow the story closely, the darkness perhaps the fault of he theater rather than the film itself.  Dramatic scenes are few anyway, and next to special effects, incessant gun battles and space chases dominate the story in a video-game-like manner.  

     There is a story, mostly of Han (Ehrenreich) trying to escape where he is and getting into trouble doing it—more than once. But he is a fast talker, and manages to argue his way into places, convincing the person in charge to allow him to do a job.  In the beginning, he is with his love Qi’ra (Clarke), but they get separated early on, and years go by before they will be reunited.  By then, much has changed, at least for her.  She is now a lieutenant for Dryden Vos (Bettany), a crime lord.  The two run into each other after Captain Beckett (Harrelson) becomes Han’s ambivalent mentor following after Han is kicked out of the military for insubordination.  Beckett and Vos are engaged in a major caper to steal a valuable mineral, and Beckett allows Han to be a part of it.  

     What follows is like a “Who’s on First” (Abbot and Costello) routine.  That is, who’s in charge and who has the cards shifts, including a surprise group of natives who charge white people with stealing their natural resource.  At times, it seems like Han is on top, but then, maybe it’s Vos, oh, but there’s Beckett, and then, maybe Lando Calrissian (Glover), and Qi’ra surfaces from time to time.  These change-offs provide some tension and thrill to the story, but since it’s basically predictable, you find that there are few surprises.  Most basic, of course, is that Han Solo will survive and journey on.

     If you are a hard-core Star Wars fan, this film might be thrilling for you.  For those somewhat removed, it is not likely to impress.  It would have been a much more powerful film if it had a deeper message and heightened dramatic power.

Special effects upon special effects, but with a thin story.

Grade:  C                                     By Donna R. Copeland

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

Frances McDormand     Woody Harrelson     Sam Rockwell     Lucas Hedges     Peter Dinklage     John Hawkes

     The wistful opening song (“The Last Rose of Summer”) previews the emotional tone underpinning this story, even though comedy and drama emerge time and again throughout.  Seven months before, Mildred’s (McDormand) teenage daughter was raped and killed, and as time goes on and no arrests are made, Mildred—never one to shrink from conflict—starts to agitate for more action from the police, specifically Sheriff Willoughby (Harrelson).  He responds to her respectfully, explaining why, and he sounds reasonable; but Mildred is not to be mollified.  To make her case a public issue, she buys space on three billboards outside of town to post this message:  “Raped while dying.  And still no arrests.  How come, Chief Willoughby?” 

     With this action, writer/director Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths) gives us a window into Smalltown, USA, and how politics often work there.  And this is one where the Chief of Police is really conscientious, a mensch.  Not so much one of his officers, Jason Dixon (Rockwell), who has a huge chip on his shoulder, is unapologetic about his racist views, and has no trouble bending the law to suit himself.  Sheriff Willoughby has a challenge in mentoring him in his wish to become a detective. 

     When Mildred singles Willoughby out for her rage, she riles up most of the town folk who are already feeling sympathy for him because word has gotten out that he has cancer.  Some of the truths McDormand is illustrating is that the general public’s memory is short (seven months has made them “forget” the murder); few understand the depth of grief following the loss of a child (the very worst thing to happen to people and something that keeps going on across time), particularly when guilt is involved; and still the genuine caring and protectiveness seen when some in the community understand the issues and act accordingly.  McDonagh shows all these complexities with sensitivity and an even hand. 

     How does an Irishman get to know this?  McDonagh talks about taking bus rides around the U.S., visiting small towns, and acquainting himself with the people who lived there (Interview on Charlie Rose, 11/9/17 on PBS).  He saw a billboard in one place that first stimulated his thoughts about making this film.  In addition, McDonagh brings his own sensibilities to his dramas; in this case, showing characters in such depth, we see their strengths and weaknesses in equal measure.  And he goes further in showing redemptive experiences, where his characters actually acquire some insight and valiantly try to make positive changes. 

     McDonagh chose his cast carefully and well.  From the beginning, he knew he wanted McDormand, Harrelson, and Rockwell; and do they all shine.  McDormand is a shoo-in for award nominations for her performance here (previous wins have been an Oscar for Fargo, a Golden Globe for Olive Kitteridge, and Independent Spirit Awards for Friends with Money and Fargo), and her work has been consistently top-notch.  Rockwell deserves supporting role awards for his Dixon, whom he manages to make you hate in the beginning, and then have some sympathy for when he at least partially redeems himself.  Harrelson may not be considered for an award this year for this film, but he lends his expert rendition of a character with good judgment for whom we have great sympathy.  He, McDormand, and     Rockwell are all good for the high comedic moments as well as the drama in this film.

     McDonagh’s collaborators in music (Carter Burwell) and cinematography (Ben Davis) help make this film the artistic triumph it is.

A film likely to be on the award circuit when the time comes.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

LBJ

Woody Harrelson     Jennifer Jason Leigh     Bill Pullman     Richard Jenkins

Jeffrey Donovan     Michael Stahl-David     Michael Mosley

     Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36^th President of the United States is credited with furthering legislation on civil rights, gun control, wilderness preservation, Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, aid to education, the arts, and public services.  It is clearly an impressive record achieved primarily because he was an expert in the “art of the deal”, and had an uncanny ability to know where to compromise and where to stand firm.  Yet, he is not generally regarded as a great President, and is associated more with the Viet Nam War than any social programs.  The LBJ documentary addresses this conundrum at least partially.

     Johnson was very wise, and although he smacked of narcissism, he was a brilliant strategist while he was Speaker of the House of Representatives, Vice President, and President.  He knew that after President Kennedy’s assassination, the country would be receptive to continuing a “martyr’s” agenda soon after his death.  Johnson understood the “strike while the iron is hot” element, and not only brought the country along on his plan, but some of Kennedy’s staff as well. 

     The movie begins with the Kennedys and Johnsons arriving in Dallas on the fateful day President Kennedy was shot.  Thereafter, it cuts back and forth between the events that happened there, and the political process in Washington, both before and after the assassination.  (This is another film that rejects chronological order, the purpose of which is not clear, and which seems to me to be a fad among Hollywood filmmakers, which annoys me.)

     The political process is much more interesting, primarily because we’ve seen the Dallas footage so many times.  The fascinating part of the political process portrayed here is in showing how effective Lyndon Johnson was in using compromise, negotiation, and downright arm-twisting (and “pecker” threats) to get opposing sides to work together.  Based on the film, John Kennedy was largely supportive, but his brother Robert despised Johnson and attempted to thwart him at every turn.  He doesn’t come across looking very well in this film.

     A strong point of LBJ, directed by Rob Reiner, is its honing in on Johnson’s personality—his confidence on the one hand and his insecurities on the other—and his strategic thinking.  His attitude toward Kennedy was one of respect, and some degree of awe.  “I’ve never seen a politician look that good on TV”, he comments to his devoted wife Lady Bird.  He observed that Kennedy was more a “show horse”, whereas he, Lyndon was a “work horse”, and clearly in the beginning he valued the latter more.  Across time, however, he grudgingly admired how much Kennedy’s appearance and charisma helped him achieve the popularity he had, and he held him in great respect. 

     The somewhat surprising casting has Woody Harrelson playing LBJ and Jennifer Jason Leigh as Lady Bird.  Harrelson’s Texas accent comes in handy, because despite heavy make-up, Woody doesn’t resemble LBJ that much, but his good acting skills are of considerable help in our seeing him as Johnson.  Leigh does a wonderful job portraying Lady Bird’s devotion and sage advice, and the chemistry between the two actors makes their relationship convincing.  Jeffrey Donovan as JFK and Michael Stahl-David as RFK manage the Boston accents perfectly, and capture the differing personalities of each very well.  Richard Jenkins plays Johnson’s old mentor, Senator Richard Russell, with the considerable talent he always shows, and comes across well as a Southerner who would almost rather die than give in to civil rights advocates.

     I found this movie interesting even though much of the content is not new; but it was good to be reminded of LBJ’s assets, since he could be so off-putting when he was being crude.  Unfortunately for him, a Texas accent has more often been made fun of rather than admired, and that likely worked against him as well.

The power behind a strong political figure toward whom Americans showed considerable ambivalence.

Grade:  C                                    By Donna R. Copeland

THE GLASS CASTLE

Brie Larson   Woody Harrelson   Naomi Watts   Max Greenfield

     Spending two hours with a majorly dysfunctional family is a real slog.  The Glass Castle is about a family headed by a man who was abused as a child and developed views about how the world should be, imposing a chaotic lifestyle on his family in search of a dream (glass castle) that will never come to fruition.  He can be a real a-hole.  But the kicker is that the viewer is never given any evidence that anyone is standing up to this man, Rex (Harrelson), there is no “come to Jesus” moment for him, and yet we’re supposed to forgive him in the very last minutes of the film when his family has only warm memories of him.  Really??!!

     The actors are the best part of The Glass Castle.  Brie Larson and the younger actresses playing her as Jeannette (Ella Anderson, Chandler Head) all perform admirably, being entirely convincing as the “parent child” who performs her parents’ jobs, is emotionally the closest to her father, and shows disillusionment every step of the way.  Woody Harrelson playing the father Rex can as an actor be riveting as a good guy (The Messenger), a bad guy (War for the Planet of the Apes), a complex guy (TV’s “True Detective”), or a comic (Wildcats); here, he is a chain-smoking alcoholic control freak with unconventional ideas about life and a violent temper to boot.  Naomi Watts as Rose Mary, the simpering mother of the family, helps us see very well the dilemma of an abused wife of an alcoholic, always excusing, and never able to assert herself and pursue her own dreams. 

     The Glass Castle is based on the memoir of Jeannette Walls, which was on the New York Times Best Seller List and received multiple awards.  It’s a complicated story of a girl who grew up in a family in which the parents were determinably unconventional, constantly moved around the country, kept their children close, and hadn’t the foggiest notion about good parenting.  The book should be ripe for a really fine movie rendition; unfortunately, the screenplay by director Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Lanham does not live up to that promise.

     Although the actors perform superbly, the screenplay lets them down in plodding through most of the two hours highlighting incompetence and poor judgment.  Yes, we get that in about a half hour.  How about using the rest of the time showing more about how the two older sisters were able to move on, more about Jeannette’s relationship with her husband, and—if it really happened—events that brought Rex and Rose Mary around so that the children could (convincingly) have a rewarding Thanksgiving celebration later?

     In other words, this film should have had a better last act that showed events proceeding logically (in terms of human behavior) from eccentricity and mistreatment of children to redemption.

Unless you suspend logic and realism, and don’t mind frustration, The Glass Castle is not likely to make sense.

Grade:  D                                    By Donna R. Copeland

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES

Andy Serkis   Woody Harrelson   Steve Zahn   Karin Konoval  

Terry Notary   Amiah Miller   Ty Olsson   Aleks Paunovic   Devyn Dalton

     In the 2014 rendition of the Planet of the Apes series, Caesar as the beloved leader of the ape colony, tries to protect it from the encroachment of humans on their territory.  Because he and some reasonable humans are able to negotiate terms, the humans are allowed to work on a dam that will provide for desperately needed electrical power.  The truce is disrupted by distrustful parties on both sides—Dreyfus, one of the leaders of the military, and Kobo, the ape who retains resentment toward humans for the years he was held as a research subject.  Terrible betrayals and battles ensue, with the result that even though peace was attained, Caesar has been warned that the military is planning another attack on the ape community.

     This rendition is a battle of wills between the Colonel (Harrelson) and Caesar (Serkis).  The army led by the Colonel has attacked the ape colony, leaving devastation in its wake.  Caesar tries repeatedly to negotiate and reason with the Colonel, but the Colonel has gone slightly off his rocker, with a God complex and the firm belief that if he doesn’t wipe out the apes, they will wipe out the human race.  Caesar even tries to communicate with him simply by staring at him (hoping to shame him), but to no avail.  The Colonel is impervious.

     Caesar wants to go after the Colonel on his own, advising the colony to stay put, and leaving his young son Cornelius with Lake, but Maurice and a couple others insist they go with him.  Along the way, they come upon a girl and a dying solder who are mute and they have to figure that out, but Maurice is adamant about not leaving the girl behind by herself, so she becomes part of their small band.   This character seems extraneous to me, and I wonder about the purpose of its inclusion.

     What they eventually discover is that most of the ape colony has been captured and enslaved by the Colonel, who has one of the traitorous apes around to manage the enslaved, Rex (Olsson), a Kobo follower.  They hope to get inside and rescue everyone, and once again, Caesar insists on going in alone while the others wait a distance behind.  Unfortunately, Caesar gets captured, and it looks like all hope is lost.  But with a little luck and the reconnaissance of Maurice et al., dramatic things are about to happen.

     Director Matt Reeves and his writing partner Mark Bomback are a winning team in bringing fresh ideas to the franchise to keep it exciting and filled with tension.  They highlight the ethical dilemmas and flaws of leaders who may or may not understand the implications of their actions.  They underscore the importance of strategy in a conflict and the elements that go into eliciting the loyalty of one’s team.  They also seem to be keenly aware of the combination of luck and skill that go into military victories.

     Technological wonders in the series continue with the action capture of Serkis’ Caesar and the visual effects by Weta Digital most striking.  The extended battle scenes do become tedious in places, and I suspect they are primarily to show off the technology. 

     Humor is lavishly inserted in this version by the character “Bad Ape” (Steve Zahn), who is a different species from the apes and one who escaped an American zoo, avoiding Simian flu.  Softness is provided by the lovely mute girl with the luminous eyes and expressive face played by Amiah Miller.  She shows much needed tenderness toward the apes and lends meaningful aid, although I do not think this important enough to have included the character..

Despite this being the third in the reboot series, the filmmakers keep the story of the apes interesting and fresh.

Grade:  B                        By Donna R. Copeland

WILSON

Woody Harrelson     Margo Martindale     Laura Dern     Isabella Amara

     Here’s a movie that has great potential with Director Craig Johnson (Skeleton Twins) and starring Woody Harrelson, a success in many films.  And Wilson does start out being quite funny as a lonely character connecting only with his dog, and becoming irate when his only friends, a couple, tell him of their plan to move out of the city.  (“How could you do this to me?!”)  Indeed, self-centeredness and self-entitlement turn out to be his mantra for the rest of the story, which essentially kills it.

     Obnoxiousness is Wilson’s middle name.  He bothers people on the bus or on the street who obviously are engaged in their own activity or work, insisting they talk to him.  In a virtually empty bus, he takes a seat right next to a man who is clearly working, insulting his response to Wilson’s question about what he does.  He says the most outrageous things to people who have mildly rebuffed him, such as, “You’re a toxic soul-drawing vampire.”

When his father is dying in the hospital, Wilson ignores his critical condition and entreats him (the man is unconscious) to say he loves Wilson.

     One of the only really engaging parts of the film Wilson is the brief period when Margo Martindale is on camera.  She lights up any film she’s in, and here, they have a comical exchange where she is tech savvy (he’s amazed at what she does “at her age”), helping him locate his ex-wife, Pippi (Dern).  She carries on with the task despite his insults of her and Pippi, and locates Pippi’s sister, who will be a lead in finding Pippi.

     Harrelson does his usual good job in capturing a character’s essence and bringing it to fruition.  That it doesn’t quite work here is likely due to the script by Daniel Clowes, which calls for him to be too persistently obnoxious and rude without any redeeming qualities.  After all kinds of disasters, the story then delves into deeper emotional areas, but the viewer hasn’t been prepared, so can’t empathize, and the scenes fall flat. 

     Another place where the film hits/misses at the same time is in Laura Dern’s character Pippi.  Dern is excellent in portraying a woman who has been through major hard times, but still has hope and is trying to make her life better.  Pippi and Wilson have some touching moments together, which are largely successful, but when Pippi, against her better judgment but egged on by Wilson, visits her sister, once again the script calls for an over-the-top scenario. 

     Another strong point in the film is in Isabella Amara’s characterization of Claire, Wilson’s and Pippi’s daughter given up for adoption.  (I’m not giving anything away; it’s in the previews.)  Amara is completely believable and noteworthy in showing the mixture of Claire’s reaction to the sudden appearance of bizarre parents in her conventional, well-to-do suburban world.  Yes, she does show some of their DNA, but nurture by her adoptive parents has helped her achieve good sense.

     Overall, I think about how the movie does something similar to what the Wilson character does; it says a nice thing, followed by a blistering, withering comment.  This is supposed to be funny, but smacks more of cruelty and social ineptitude.

I so wanted this movie to be funnier and snappier.

Grade:  D+                            By Donna R. Copeland

THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN

Hailee Steinfeld     Blake Jenner     Kyra Sedgwick     Woody Harrelson     Haley Lu Richardson     Hayden Szeto     Alexander Calvert    

          The Edge of Seventeen put my nerves on edge, partly because I’m a psychologist.  [If ever a group of people needed therapy, this family does, but—unrealistically—it’s never mentioned to any of them.]  Secondly, I’m bothered by so many of the current films meant for teens glorifying or minimizing the bad effects of alcohol.  When the protagonist here, Nadine (Steinfeld), drinks so much she’s hanging over the toilet the next morning with her friend mopping her brow, I’m curious about what the filmmakers’ intend and what adolescent viewers will think of it.  Are they likely to admire it or get the impression that “everybody does it” or “no big deal”?  Might filmmakers come up with better ways to rebel and protest as models for young people?  (Yes, I know it’s not about that; it’s about the money to be made in making people laugh, even if what they laugh at is inappropriate.) 

       Nadine has a hard life for someone in her circle (middle/upper class suburban), primarily because she is annoying.  She is not an “easy” child in her rebelliousness—physical manifestations in her younger years and sarcastic, put-down remarks in her teens.  Grade school is torture until she finds one friend, Krista (Richardson), who appears to be the only one (besides her father) who is nice to her.  The film can be credited for its portrayal of a mother who might spawn such a child, Mona (Sedgwick), who idolizes her older son Darian (Jenner) and always regards Nadine as less than, or worse.

        When a family tragedy occurs, Mona increasingly turns to Darian, and Nadine becomes more and more of a problem.  Nadine ups the ante to force her mother to pay attention to her, becoming more and more distressed and acting out, while desperately seeking help from other sources.  But when her best friend Krista begins taking up with Nadine’s brother Darian, she loses the only real support she has ever known (besides her father, who is no longer available), not because of Krista rejecting Nadine, but the anticipation of Krista rejecting her.

         The comedy in The Edge of Seventeen is in the people she turns to for help.  One is her teacher, a wry Mr. Bruner (Harrelson), who has some of the funniest come-back lines in response to a range of her tragedies (loss of father, suicide thoughts, miss-sent text) and her bombastic accusations.  The best thing for her (and the movie) is that he is never shocked by what she says, but responds in a way that makes us laugh and bewilders her.  Only Harrelson could pull this off in the way that he did—quintessential Harrelson.

     Another person Nadine turns to is a shy classmate, Erwin (Szeto), whom she underestimates and devalues (partly because he seems to like her) until the end when she can be truly impressed.  Their interchanges are realistic for shy kids their age, and constitute some of the most genuine and comedic portrayals in the film. 

         Unfortunately, there is someone else Nadine turns to, a crush she has on someone she doesn’t really know, Nick (Calvert).  She accidently sends him an erotic text, which he surprises her by responding to, and they go out on a date that doesn’t turn out well.

        Steinfield does an expert job in playing an annoying, difficult child with self-esteem problems, and her gradual painful transformation into a more mature person is nuanced.  Kudos to veterans Harrelson and Sedgwick; it’s always gratifying to see talent and experience at work.  Szeto’s Erwin could be considered a break-out performance in his portrayal of a kind of nerdy, artistic character still naïve, but with tons of talent.

        The Edge of Seventeen is a debut film for writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig.  It’s a good start, but I hope she will become more thoughtful of the social/psychological messages she sends in her films, and go beyond simply pleasing an audience that may not be very discriminating.  She appears to be sensitive to human dilemmas and experiences, and could become more mindful of creative means of overcoming them.  She presents rich psychological material in the characters, but these are not resolved in a realistic way.

        In addition to the problems with this film mentioned in the first paragraph, I cannot figure out why filmmakers cast older actors to play teenagers.  Steinfield was 19 when the film was made—which isn’t so bad—but the other teen actors ranged in age from 20-30 years old.  If there weren’t talent in the age range of the film, I could understand, but there are; so why don’t filmmakers cast them?  It’s simply ludicrous to expect us to imagine a 17 year-old in a 30 year-old body.

A film about teenagers probably not for teenagers.

Grade:  C                                   By Donna R. Copeland

THE DUEL

Liam Hemsworth     Woody Harrelson     Alice Braga     Emory Cohen

          A quick look online shows that the duel is a popular topic for moviemakers, and has been brought to the forefront again in the Broadway musical Hamilton, (about Alexander Hamilton who died in a duel).  This rendition is a western, and could be classified as a tragedy in the literary sense.  It takes place in the 1800’s, opening with a duel in Texas and ending in the same town with a duel involving the son of the man killed 22 years before.

David Kingston (Hemsworth) is a Texas Ranger sent by the governor to investigate an area where Mexican General Calderone says his niece and nephew disappeared.  As a matter of fact, there have been many reports of Mexicans who have gone missing from the same area.  For his safety, David is sent incognito with the story that he is headed somewhere else.  We can see a complication right away when his wife Marisol (Braga) insists on going with him.  She is obviously Mexican, so going to a town that is suspected of killing Mexicans seems more than foolhardy, but she threatens to leave him otherwise, so he takes her along.

       They are greeted in the town of Helena by a polite, smooth talking Abraham (Harrelson), known as “The Preacher”, who keeps a tight rein on the townsfolk.  He gets them settled in a lodging, makes an impromptu visit to Marisol, and makes David sheriff.  David quietly does his sleuthing and of course—since this is a western—must prove his mettle with the locals, particularly Abraham’s ne’er-do-well son Isaac (Cohen).

           What David uncovers is major, and all the while he is investigating he has to contend with the passive-aggressive Abraham who creates a continual thread of ominous portents, aided by the open hostility of Isaac and his two sidekicks.

        Director Kieran Darcy-Smith is successful in sustaining the aura of mystery and danger, and gives the viewer some explanation as to how the characters fit together.  But he and the writer Matt Cook are not the most experienced in filmmaking, which shows up in questions about plot that remain unresolved.  For instance, Marisol becomes mysteriously ill soon after The Preacher predicts her fever.  After the ambiguous ending, we still don’t know exactly what happened or how she fits in with the characters other than David.  On one occasion, she seems to complain about it.  Another instance is David’s leaving his sick wife’s bedside and being out of town for an extended period of time without Abraham, who seemed to monitor him constantly, noticing. 

         Finally, at the end it’s not clear why the governor took no action on Kingston’s findings.  We never see David send a telegraph (which he was instructed to do), and when General Calderon asks for the governor’s support in investigating the site further, it was declined.  Maybe he didn’t want to start another Mexican-American war.

          Woody Harrelson knows creepy, and his performance is superior in this role.  He is electric in any scene he is in.  Hemsworth is very good, although not quite convincing as a Texas Ranger.  I was stunned to discover that Isaac is played by the same Emory Cohen who is such a hit as Eilis’ sweet American boyfriend in Brooklyn.  He is as offensive here in his character as he is appealing in Brooklyn.

This is a western that raises as many questions about the plot as it answers.

Grade:  C-                        By Donna R. Copeland

NOW YOU SEE ME 2

Mark Ruffalo   Lizzie Caplan   Daniel Radcliffe   Jesse Eisenberg   Dave Franco  

Morgan Freeman   Woody Harrelson   Michael Caine   Sanaa Lathan

          Dazzling sleights of hand, cat and mouse chases, vengeance, and power struggles continue the essence of the Now You See Me films (#3 is already planned).  Revelations about mysteries left unresolved in the first picture are cleverly revealed, specifically with regard to Thaddeus Bradley (Freeman).

        The Four Horsemen of Now You See Me have been in hiding for a year after they robbed their sponsor’s Parisian bank account during their performance in New York to give the spoils to their audience, many of who were victims of Hurricane Katrina.  They have been in training for the next big caper, the details of which have not been revealed.  They’re restless and resentful that the secret society from whom they receive their instructions, the Eye, has not provided them with more challenges.  The sponsor of their original show, Arthur Tressler (Caine) of Tressler Insurance, had not been generous to the victims, so the Horsemen considered themselves Robinhood figures who give to the poor what the rich have withheld.  Now, finally, the magic troupe has plans to reappear by usurping a major advertising promotion by the company Octa in London, 

         But the FBI is after them for their previous heist, along with Thaddeus, in jail for his role in the previous story, and Tressler, who lost millions in one of their heists.  Along for the venomous ride this time is Tressler’s son Walter (Radcliffe) who has a big investment in pleasing and redeeming his father.

         Sanguine truths are sprinkled about through this story to at least give it some depth.  Walter, who has learned from his father the value of secrecy, says, “True freedom is not being seen”, an astute observation of one who wants his actions and behavior to remain anonymous.  Another character emphatically refers to the “power of an empty fist”, so useful in magic tricks.  And finally, in the last few moments, Thaddeus observes that “Seeing is believing…” but he thinks it’s important to ask whether what’s seen is truth or lie.  (It’s noted that belief has ‘lie’ in the middle of the word.) 

        When the film begins, we learn that one of the Horsemen (played by Isla Fisher) is missing, and the team needs to recruit another.  After some disagreement, cheeky Lula (Caplan) is accepted and wins their respect for her skills.  Magic tricks are very similar to those in the first film, and all the actors are captivating in their renditions.  Radcliffe does a fine, convincing job in being evil with daddy issues.

          The last scenes are clearly set-ups for Now You See Me 3.

If you liked the first one, you’ll probably enjoy Now You See Me 2.  If not, skip it.

           

Grade:  C+                        By Donna R. Copeland